E-Scooter Accident Sparks Renewed Safety Debate

E-Scooter Accident Sparks Renewed Safety Debate

APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER

 

The death of an e-scooter rider in Vienna this week has reignited discussions about safety measures and the potential introduction of an age limit for riders.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when a 22-year-old collided with Tram 9 in the 17th district.

“In almost all European countries, you can only ride an e-scooter independently at a much later age – in Austria, it is from the age of twelve, and even from nine or ten if you have a voluntary cycling test,” Klaus Robatsch from the Austrian Road Safety Board (KfV) told ORF.

Another pressing issue is the use of helmets, which Robatsch believes should also be mandatory for e-scooter riders. According to Statistics Austria and the KfV, only 8-9% of riders wore helmets last year, with an even lower percentage among rental scooter users. Currently, helmet use is only mandatory for children under the age of twelve on e-scooters in Austria.

The KfV is also advocating for additional safety features on scooters, including the installation of a bell, indicators, a second brake and a maximum speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour.

Statistics Austria reported that 1,607 e-scooter riders were injured nationwide last year, with a further three fatalities.

In 40% of e-scooter accidents, the other party involved was a car, followed by single-vehicle accidents at 35%. The majority of accident victims were male, accounting for 70% of the cases.

Additionally, Statistics Austria highlighted that one in eight e-scooter riders involved in incidents was under the influence of alcohol at the time. Alarmingly, 90% of these intoxicated riders had blood alcohol levels exceeding one per mille, with 28% registering more than two per mille.

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